Teaching German

Sports

Formula One: Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two in Spain

Lewis Hamilton won from the first bend to the chequered flag as Mercedes secured a one-two in Barcelona. Max Verstappen held off Sebastian Vettel to claim third in another disappointing race for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton beat teammate Valtteri Bottas to win the Spanish Grand Prix for a third consecutive year on Sunday, securing a record fifth one-two finish for Mercedes to start the season.

Hamilton's third win of the campaign let him take the championship lead by seven points over Bottas, who had entered the race with a one-point advantage.

"This is history in the making to have five one-twos," Hamilton said about his team's record start to 2019.

Max Verstappen was third in his Red Bull, in front of Ferrari pair Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, with Vettel hampered with tyre issues throughout.

It was the five-time and defending champion's 76th career victory. Only Michael Schumacher has more with 91.

In contrast to his win here in 2017 and 2018 from pole position, Hamilton had to overtake Bottas, who was on pole. Once in front he cruised through the race's 66 laps of the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit without a challenge.

mds/mp (ap, afp)

As it happened:

LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE SPANISH GRAND PRIX. He finishes ahead of Bottas for a Mercedes one-two, with Verstappen third.

Lap 66/66 Hamilton taking a 3.7 second lead into the final lap ahead of Bottas.

Lap 65/66 Hamilton lead is just short of three seconds and, barring a catastrophe, Hamilton will chalk up his third win of the season here.

Lap 63/66 Verstappen is now two seconds clear of Vettel, who won't be able claw that one back now. No podium for Vettel today.

Lap 61/66 A podium place seems to have slipped through Vettel's fingers. Verstappen is inching away from the German.

Lap 59/66 Bottas is picking things up for the first time since the safety car departed. Second is now looking more comfortable again for the Finn, and he's just 2.7 seconds behind Hamilton.

Lap 57/66 Vettel is close to Verstappen and could launch an attack on the Dutchman in VRS range.

Lap 55/66 Hamilton records a new fastest lap. Verstappen is hot on Bottas' heels and threatening the Mercedes one-two for the first time in the race.

Lap 53/66 The safety car departs and Hamilton flies away from Bottas. Vettel under pressure from from Gasly, but it's as you were.

Lap 51/66 The safety car is still out...

Lap 49/66 Vettel just not happy on his tyres today. Asks to swap onto new ones but the Ferrari engineers tell him to stay put. Hasn't been a very satisfactory day for the German.

Lap 47/66 The safety car is out after gravel sprays the track following a clash between Norris and Stroll. But Hamilton not too happy about it as he's unable to warm his tyres.

Lap 45/66 Bottas pits again, this time moving on to the soft compounds for a late push.

Lap 42/66 Vettel pits, changing from the mediums to the hard tyres. A 2.2 second pits stop is Ferrari's quickest of the day but it doesn't stop Gasly from going into fifth, ahead of the German.

Lap 40/66 Hamilton not happy on these tyres and insists to his team that he has to change them.

Lap 38/66 Hamilton on the team radio: "It feels like these tyres could be a stretch".

Lap 36/66 Vettel is getting closer and closer to Leclerc...

Lap 34/66 Hamilton now has an 8.6 second lead but asks the Mercedes engineer to keep him updated on Bottas' pace.

Lap 32/66 Vettel and Leclerc have been engaging in their own little battle out there. Now it's Vettel with the upper hand, as he looks to take advantage of his softer tyres. Leclerc is on a one-stop strategy.

Lap 30/66 Bottas is looking comfortable on his new medium tyres and immediately records a new fastest lap, immediately eroding 1.3 seconds off Hamilton's lead. He also moves away from Verstappen too.

Lap 27/66 Hamilton pits, no problems, and he looks nailed on for victory here and another Mercedes one-two seems highly likely too.

Lap 25/66 Lerclerc pits and moves onto the hard tyre. Bottas also pits and it's a snapier one than we've seen in the Ferrari garage today, and Bottas retains his place in third.

Lap 23/66 Vettel pits, but it's not a quick one and he's placed in traffic in 10th. Verstappen about to come in too.